More Wave Streetcar Headlines

In a 5-4 vote, the commissioners authorized the Florida Department of Transportation to re-bid the downtown 2.8 mile project -- with a caveat.

"The approval is contingent upon further approvals from the city of Fort Lauderdale and the Downtown Development Authority due to modifications made to reduce the cost of the last bids on the project," Broward County spokeswoman Kimberly Maroe said.

The dissenting votes were from Broward Commissioners Chip LaMarca, Dale Holness, Michael Udine and Nah H. Rich. Mayor Beam Furr, Vice Mayor Mark Bogen and Commissioners Barbara Sharief, Tim Ryan and Steve Geller voted in favor of moving the project forward with the support of the city and the DDA.

The Florida Department of Transportation, the DDA and Fort Lauderdale are supposed to share the cost. Re-bidding and revising the scope of the Wave streetcar became necessary after the project came in about $70 million dollars over budget last fall.

"If future bids exceed $142 million, that too could void the project as per the inter-local agreement," Maroe said.